


Drinking Whiskey and Nuka Cola

by ThePineapplePrincess



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 3
Genre: F/M, Friendship/Love, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-28
Updated: 2016-02-28
Packaged: 2018-05-23 18:39:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6126358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePineapplePrincess/pseuds/ThePineapplePrincess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Vaultie's first time drinking leads to something unpleasant. Luckily Charon is there! FLW/Charon but not an established relationship. I do not own Fallout or any of its characters</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The kid has never been drunk. Shes 19 and alcohol has never touched her lips. When I found this out I had asked, "Well do you want to get drunk?" She looked unsure but said, "Yeah, I wanna know what its like."

So tonight we had decided to go to Moritary's. We both needed a break anyways. She had expressed displeasure at drinking at Moriarty's. Kate hated giving him money, but I knew she wanted to see Gob and Nova. Gob beams as soon as we walk in the door. Kate takes a seat on stool right in front of him. "Hey Gob!" She beams back. I lag behind a little, until I see that shes noticed. Kate pats the stool beside her and smiles. Thats my cue to, "Quit being a grouch" as she says. I sit down beside her, trying to keep my distance. The bar is pretty empty, which is strange because its late. A few people are standing around. Thankfully I can see Moriarty in his office, which should keep her happy.

Gob smiles at both of us, but mostly her. I think hes still trying to decide if he trusts me. "So, what will it be?" He asks. Kate looks at me nervously, and then I remember shes never ordered a drink. "Can you make a Nuka and whisky? Kate's never had alcohol before." Gob looks surprised and Kate seems embarrassed. "Oh really? Well you never looked like much of a drinker, but…" "We had it in the vault, " Kate says, "I just…I don't know. They didn't let us have it until we were older." Shes 19 but she really still is a kid. It makes me feel worse. Not only is she a smoothskin but shes too young. Gob nods and begins making her drink. "What about you Charon?" He asks. "Just whisky" Kate looks at me with nervous eyes, but shes excited he can tell. "Is that okay?" I ask, "I know you like Nuka Cola, so I thought it would be good." Kate smiles and nods, "Yeah! I don't think I could handle anything straight anyways."

Gob places the drink on the counter in front of her, "There you go smoothskin. Try to go easy." Kate nods and looks to me for approval again. As if she needs to me tell her its okay to drink it. "Go ahead," I say, "Just know its probably going to taste bad at first." She takes and deep breath and sips on the drink gently. I expect to see her face turn, but Kate actually looks pleased. "Oh wow! It tastes just like Nuka Cola!" She says. I look at Gob warily, he wont meet my eyes. I gesture towards the drink, " May i? " She shakes her head and hands it over to me. Its all Nuka Cola and maybe a small shot of whisky. I smirk and put it back down on the counter.

"I didn't want to overdo it for her." Gob says meekly. "What's wrong with it?" She asks. I smile back, "All Nuka, no whisky." Kate looks disappointed, "But im supposed to get drunk." She says. Gob pours more whisky into the cup. When Kate tastes it for the second time her face scrunches up. "Ew." She whispers and puts it back down. I cant help but smile. "How can you drink a whole glass of that stuff?!" Kate is referring to my almost empty glass of whisky. "Ive been doing this for a lot longer than you smoothskin." She shakes her head and tries to drink it again. After a few minutes shes chugging it down. "This isn't so bad once you get used to get taste!" I watch as she drinks two glasses. And then she starts talking. "I cant believe I waited this long! This shit is so good." Gob smiles, "Just promise I wont see you in here every day." Kate shakes her head, "Hell no. I don't want…im not a drunk. I just, its good." Her eyes start to get heavy and she laughs at anything she can find funny. I work slowly on another glass of whisky. I cant get drunk, seeing that I have to keep her safe. Or in this case keep her from embarrassing herself.

She keeps asking Gob about all the different kinds of drinks that can be made. All of a sudden she interrupts him and looks at me, "Charon you're too far away." Kate attempts to get off her stool and slide it closer, but she almost falls right on her face. Her hand catches my thigh right as I reach to grab her. She smiles as I pull her back up. "Haha…whoops." I steady her back on the stool, trying to ignore her touch. "Maybe you shouldn't try to get up." I say. She pouts and uses her big brown eyes against me. "But you're so far away." I sigh and move my stool closer to her. "Is that better?" Kate smiles and finally takes her hand off of my thigh. My head is spinning. I can feel Gob's eyes on me, but I don't dare look at him. Eventually he leaves the front of the bar to do inventory. She doesn't stop touching me though. Now that we are sitting closer together and her balance is off, she leans against me. First its subtle, but eventually her head is rested against my arm. My face is burning with embarrassment, but I keep still and let her rest herself against me.

For some reason I decide to look down at her. Kate is smiling at me drunkenly, but god its beautiful. "You're warm." She says with a chuckle. I don't have words to describe how badly I want to wrap her in my arms. But instead I gulp and say, "Are you cold?" Kate shakes her head. I maneuver to where I can steady her, take my jacket off and place it around her. Her eyes light up and she smiles warmly as I slip the jacket over her shoulders. But even with my jacket around her, she still leans against my arm. Its almost worse now, with just my t-shirt on her cheek is now pressed against my "skin." Gob is still taking inventory, but he keeps looking over at us. And now Nova has taken notice too.

She comes out from her little corner and is circling the bar. "Hey sweetie." She says, patting Kate's shoulder. "Nova!" She exclaims and reaches up to hug her. The absence of her body against mine makes me feel cold. Nova hugs her back and winks at me. "This is your first time being drunk?" Kate shakes her head, "Its great! " She says. Nova smiles "You are so cute. I bet theres a lot of things you never did being trapped in that vault, huh?" This apparently makes Kate think a lot, but eventually she shakes her head. "Yeah I guess you're right." Nova moves around to the inside of the bar and rests her elbows on the counter. Gob notices her and moves back over towards us, wanting to be near her. "Ive never smoked either…or done any chems. I mean…not that I really want to do that shit, its bad for you." Kate says, but then notices the lit cigarette in Nova's hand. Her eyes get big, but Nova just laughs. "Trust me, I know." She says and she puffs on the cigarette again. Kate puts her head back against my arm. This makes Nova smirk.

"Anything else you've never done?" She asks Kate, but shes looking at me. "Well…" Shes trying hard to think even though shes drunk, "Ive never been kissed." She says innocently. Oh shit. If shes never even kissed anyone…. "So you're a virgin?" Nova says. Kate, completely transparent shakes her head and smiles. Shit. How could I have not seen this? Shes so innocent, but I was sure that she had at least lost her virginity. Probably to someone in the vault, but no. I feel even worse now. It was already bad enough to have a girl so young traveling with someone like me, but now everyone will think im going to take advantage of her. I don't dare look at any of them, I keep my eyes fixed on anyone else in the room. But that's when I notice something much worse. The few people left in the bar are staring at her. And all of them are men. Nova smiles, "Aw, there weren't any boys in the vault you liked?" Kate shakes her head no, "They were all really mean…none of them liked me either. " I decide that if I ever come across any of these vault boys I will deck them in the face. Which is exactly what im about to do to the men in the bar.

"What about out here in the wastes?" Nova asks, and looks directly at me. "Boys don't like me here either. Or they like me in like…the wrong way. Like they just want this." She gestures towards her body awkwardly. Its true. Most men we've encountered in the wastes try to touch her or make disgusting comments to her. Ive made sure to put a stop to any of that. "Who's the last guy that hit on you?" For this she looks to me, her big brown eyes hazy from the booze. "When…what happened last Chare?" I sigh, pretending to think. Truly I already know the last man that tried to put his hands on her. I don't forget their names, I don't forget their faces. Finally I say, "Ronald Laren, Girdershade." Kate's face shows that she too has remembered, "Oh yeah! Ew, that guy was fucked up." I shake my head in agreement. The way he had looked at her made me want to kill. I had watched his eyes linger upon certain parts of her with seething anger. But when he reached out to touch her I had fucking lost it.

"What did he say to you?" Nova asks, "Trust me, Ive seen my fair share of gross men." Kate tries to piece what she can remember together. "He wanted me to lie to Sierra, but Sierra is my friend! Shes super nice, but she might be an addict…. I don't know! Anyways…Ronald…Ew I don't like saying his name." She looks at me for help, so I finish the story.

"Bastard wanted her to lie to this girl named Sierra about getting her Nuka Cola Quantum's. He wanted Kate to do all the work, but him take credit for it." "Yeah! And then he said something about my butt!" Kate is sitting on her knees now. The stool wobbles, and I steady her. Girl can't be still for a minute. "He was like…uh, Charon what did he say?" Kate asks. I sigh, not wanting to relive the words. "Something about…watching you walk away. I cant really remember." Kate tries to scoot her stool closer to the bar, still seated on her knees. "It was weird." She tells Nova, who is all smiles. "Sounds like a real asshole." Kate's eyes get big, and I know shes just remembered how this story ended. "Oh oh, and then he tried to touch me after I told him to fuck off and Charon broke his nose!"

Kate beams at me, and I cant deny that im proud. The sick fuck had reached for her wrist with one hand and her ass with the other, after she specifically told him she wasn't interested. I had tried to keep my anger at bay, but I saw the look in her eyes when he came towards her. She was scared. A feeling I had known far too often before she bought my contract. A feeling I never wanted her to feel. I had slammed him up against his shack door and purposefully shattered his nose with my fist. Which, knowing me, meant he got off extremely easy. I should have beat his face into a bloody pulp. When he screamed and opened his eyes, I had growled, "Never," in his face and let him fall to the ground. Nova's eyes get wide and so does her smile. I knock back more of the whiskey, "I hope it heals crooked." I whisper.

Kate laughs and tells Nova about how funny it was. "That was a really nice thing Charon did for you." Nova says. Kate smiles big and shakes her head. I wish that Nova would stop here, but she just presses on. "Do you even know anything about sex?" Kate thinks, "I mean…I know. Like I know what happens…but…." She trails off and im not sure what shes thinking about. "Dad just always said it should be someone special." Kate whispers. That's not me I tell myself. Im not the special person her father would want for her. Hell, im sure if we ever find him he will ask that she gets rid of me. "Well, " Nova prods, "Have you ever met anyone special?" Kate smiles almost stupidly, "Of course! All of you are special to me. You, Gob, and Charon!" Nova's eyes are on me, but I just keep staring at the bar wondering how long this will continue.

"I don't mean like that sweetie," She says with a laugh. Kate reaches for her glass to take another drink but misses and knocks it over. Gob hears and rushes over. "What happened?" Kate's in tears, the alcohol increasing her feelings of guilt. "Im so sorry Gob!" She tries to find some way to clean it up. But shes off balance and almost falls off her stool again. Once again she reaches blindly for me, her hand falling on my shoulder. For some stupid reason I reach out and grab her waist. I try to avoid making eye contact with her as she positions herself back on the stool. Once shes settled, I remove my hand as soon as possible. Gob is cleaning up her drink from the bar, all while assuring her its okay. "I just don't want to get you in trouble." She sniffles. Gob smiles, "Its okay kid." Gob would take a beating for her. I look back into Moriarity's office, he hasn't moved a muscle. We haven't disturbed the peace, but I feel like its time to head back. Kate is looking sleepy, as well as extremely drunk. It would be bad if her next "accident" was puking on the bar. Moriarity might notice that.

I pull myself up from the bar and she gives me this worried look. "Are you leaving me?" Kate's voice is so sad, it hurts. As if I would run off into the wastes without her. I smirk, "You know I psychically cant." She looks confused. "The contract." I remind her. Kate shrugs, as if its nothing, "You could always leave if you want to." She says disappointed. I don't feel like fighting her. At this point she wont understand how I don't have the option of leaving, even if I wanted to. "I just think its time for us to go. You look tired." Kate looks toward Gob and Nova, "I think we're leaving." She attempts to pull out her bag of caps and pay, but I end up having to help her. "Thanks Chare." She mumbles drunkenly as I place the money on the counter. Gob takes it, looking at me as if hes confused about most of what has happened tonight. On the other hand, Nova is giving me a wicked grin. Another reason to be thankful that we are leaving.

Once we have paid a new problem presents itself, Kate cant walk. At least not well. She takes a few steps and almost trips. "Will you…will…." She says, holding her arms out to me. She wants to be carried. The thought of her in my arms like that makes me feel warm. I crave it, but its wrong. Ideally, I want to get her out of the door before I result to throwing her over my shoulder, but she cant make it. I scoop her up quickly, hoping to avoid any more eyes on us. But even though I cant see them, I feel the stares. Kate isn't making it any easier. She wraps her arms around my neck, her warm breath tickling against what skin I have left. Its maddening. I know I have to stay focused. Kate waves and whispers a "Bye," in Gob and Nova's direction. I can hear Nova laugh as she returns the goodbye. Once we are out the door I am more than thankful.

Kate isn't heavy, but the walk back to her home feels like it will never end. I only feel safe once the door to the house is shut. I take Kate up to her bedroom and lay her down gently. The combination of exhaustion and alcohol has almost put her to sleep. I tuck her in and try to leave, but she stops me. "Charon," I hear just as I reach the door. I smile and turn back around, shes waving me back over towards her. "Yes?" Her face turns sour, "I don't feel so good…." I immediately reach to pick her back up, "Are you nauseous?" She shakes her head meekly. In the moonlight that seeps through the walls, I can see her face is pale. I take her into the bathroom and hold her hair as she proceeds to puke up everything shes drank that night. It must burn, because she starts crying softly and whimpering, "It hurts." The second time her stomach purges itself I notice its coming out of her nose as well. No wonder shes in pain. I pat her back and whisper, "You gotta get it out smoothskin. It will be over soon." Kate shakes her head and finishes. "That was bad." She says simply and falls back against my shoulder.

I let her hair down and pat her back once more. "I shouldn't have let you drink so much." When I help her stand back up, I notice shes thrown up on the front of her vault suit. Kate notices as well, and proceeds to start unzipping it. "Jesus, Kate wait a second!" I close the toilet lid and sit her down on it. But shes already got the zipper down to her bellybutton. And the tank top she wears underneath is doing a bad job of concealing her breasts. I force myself not to look at her and run into the next room to find some clothes. I return with some pajama pants we had found a few weeks ago and a t-shirt. I leave them for her and let her change in privacy. When shes done I tuck her back into bed. "Sorry you have to take care of me." She whispers sleepily. I smirk, "Its okay." In a way I enjoy it. She's a handful occasionally, but I care for her. Kate is the only thing that makes my life worth living.

She asks me to stay there with her until she falls asleep. "Please don't leave me." She whispers. If only she knew how much of an impossibility that was. How I would rather die. But I simply say, "Never." As I watch her drift off I wish I could tell her how happy she makes me. I know she'll never see me the way I see her, but for some reason I don't care. I just want to always be with her.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning the first thing Kate says is, "I feel like shit." I smirk and make her something to eat. "Getting drunk can do that to a person," I reply.

Kate eats every bite of what I put in front of her. "I have a splitting headache," She says once she's done. I find some spare Med-X among our scaving haul. Im honestly surprised, Kate usually sells all that shit immediately for caps. When I hand it to her she looks at me distastefully. "I don't do drugs." She says it as if ive forgotten. I roll my eyes, "I know that. The Med-X will help you feel better. I promise you wont get addicted, just trust me." Its like I know exactly what she's thinking. To her every chem is a bad chem.

Kate shoots me a wicked grin, "Just like you said getting drunk was fun." I sigh, oh great we're going to do this. "In retrospect I should have stopped you from drinking so much. Let me rephrase my original statement, getting drunk can be fun, if you know when to stop." Her eyes grow wide and so does her grin, "So this is my fault because I didn't know when to stop?"

"Just let me give you the Med-X. I'll only give you half, it will make you feel better." Kate holds her arm out in my direction, while simultaneously sticking out her tongue. She just adores being stubborn. Kate pretends to be brave, but I know the needle scares her. I prick her quickly and while she isn't looking. Once its all over she asks, "So did I do anything stupid last night?" The question leaves me thinking about how much of last night I should tell her. Kate and I have had our moments before. Moments where shes touched me, even times when I felt like those touches were wanted. But the night before was different. I decide to tread around the truth carefully.

"What do you remember?" Kate blushes "Well…not much. I remember almost falling on my face a few times…." She looks away from me. I desperately want her to say it, because I really don't want to.

"Uh…anything else?"

Kate sighs, "Something about…um, telling everyone about…my virginity?" She's biting her lip and avoiding my eyes. "Yeah…." I say simply. Its quiet, and then she says, "Why the hell did I do that?"

"Well…Nova kind of worked it out of you." Kate is rubbing her hand over her face.

"Wonderful." She mutters.

"You know," I attempt, "its not like its…uh, embarrassing. If…if that's what you were worried about." Kate is blushing "No…I mean, well kind of." Shit I keep stumbling all over my words. Its hard to sugarcoat things for her. She gets up, frustrated. "I just wish I hadn't said anything." I wish she hadn't either. The whole situation had made things awkward for the both of us.

Kate sighs, "Do you think anyone else heard me?" I think. At the time I had been more embarrassed for myself than wondering who was listening.

"I don't think so." I say, not very confident in my answer.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hey kid." Kate turns around to see Jericho staring at her. She had just wanted to run to Gob's and get some Stimpaks. At first she tries to pretend she didn't hear him, taking off in the direction of her home. But Jericho doesn't give up that easily.

"Hey!" He says a bit more forcefully. Kate stops, desperately wishing Charon had come along. She turns towards him and tries to force a smile. "Hi Jericho."

Kate had tried to be friendly when she first met him, but Jericho was a complete asshole. First he had wanted nothing to do with her, told her she was weak and to fuck off. Then all of a sudden he was flirting with her. Kate guessed he had recognized she could hold her own in the Wastes. Luckily ever since she had brought Charon back to Megaton with her most of the men had left her alone.

Jericho flashes her his yellowed teeth. "You wanna spend some time with me later?" Kate shoots him the most disgusted look. "What?" She blurts, his words don't even register. The greasy raider just smiles. Jericho attempts to get closer to her, but she backs up. "Come on girl, I heard about your little problem. Actually makes me want you more," He breaths. Kate stares at him confused, until it hits her. "My little problem? You mean my virginity?!" She tries to whisper but why should she? If Jericho knows though, shes sure the whole town does by now.

He smiles creepily and looks her body up and down. "I was going to see Nova, but when I walked into the bar last night I heard your little confession." Kate feels the blood rush to her face. This cant be fucking happening. She can barely wrap her head around any of this, but Jericho keeps talking. "I know you've been reluctant in the past, but I get it now. You're just scared. I promise I wont disappoint." Jericho grabs at his crotch. Kate's bottom lip quivers as she tries not to cry.

"Im just glad I caught you without your…dog around, and I don't mean the literal dog. Come on babe, lets go back to my house and ill show you a real man." He reaches and puts his hands on her shoulders. "Get the fuck off me!" Kate screams, but Jericho is covering her mouth. "You don't even have to come back to my house." He growls, "I'll fuck you right here." He pushes her off into a dark corner, near the wall that surrounds the city. Kate is struggling, but he is much stronger than she is. If only she had brought her gun. Megaton is her home, Kate thought she could let her guard down here. She should have at least fucking brought Charon with her. He always has his shotgun and he would have ripped Jericho apart the second he came up to her. Kate doesn't want to loose her virginity like this. Jericho forces her to the ground. She attempts to knee him in the groin, but its not that easy. The raider catches on to what she's trying to do and hits her. Kate's face stings and she can hear his belt buckle clinking. She closes her eyes tightly and tries her best to keep struggling against his hold. Giving up isn't an option. She can feel his horrible breath on her face, and then…hes gone.


	4. Chapter 4

I had only gone out to look for her, but what I found sent me into a blind rage. After that, it seemed as I had blacked out. The next thing I recall is finding the raider under me, one fist pounding into his skull the other around his neck. I only stop when I hear Kate scream from behind me. She's crying, her lip busted and bleeding. The sight makes me want to continue, but she's begging me to stop. I stand, looking back down at the raider. His face is bloody but unfortunately he's still breathing if you can call it that. Its more like gasping and screaming. Kate's shaking beside me, her arms wind around one of mine. "Take me home…I want to leave," She stutters. I nod, I will do as she commands. Plus, it seems like the wisest plan of action, as a small crowd of Megaton settlers is beginning to form around us. As the two of us walk the ramps back to her home, I begin to remember. I had left to look for her, she had been gone longer than usual. The raider, I can't remember his name had been on top of her. For a second I wondered if she had lied to me about getting Stimpaks and snuck away to be with this man. I had seen him lurking around Megaton before. I'd even seen him look Kate over once or twice, maybe she noticed it too. Then I see that she's crying and it doesn't matter. Even if Kate's gotten into this willingly, she doesn't want it now. After that I can't remember specifics, just feeling the intense need to hurt the man below me. He hurt her, I will hurt him.

"Are you hurt?" I ask frantically once we are inside. I move closer trying to get a better look at her lip, but she puts her hands up. "Just…stop!" Kate says, her voice trembling. She steps back, almost as if she's scared of me. After a moment, Kate sighs, "Im sorry…Charon I'm sorry. I'm just…." She doesn't have to say it because I know. She's still in shock. I shouldn't have tried to get so close to her so soon. I shake my head, "Its okay. Im sorry." Kate runs her fingers through her hair and I begin to notice more. Her lip is busted up pretty bad. Most of the blood has dried, but it's a nasty cut. Her vault suit is a little ripped up, the zipper pulled down slightly. From what I can gather he didn't get what he wanted, but it was close.

Kate takes a few more minutes to catch her breath. "I want to take a bath," She whispers heading up the stairs. I wonder if I should stop her, make her tell me what happened. Then I realize that I have no right. Kate never forced me to tell her my past, or anything for that matter. She will tell me when she's ready, if she ever is.

I simply nod and watch her disappear up the stairs. While she bathes I keep myself busy. I don't want to think about what could have happened, or even what did happen. I make her Mirelurk Cakes, something she loves but hates obtaining the meat for. Whenever we run into a Mirelurk she always prefers fleeing instead of fighting. After about thirty minutes she returns downstairs, her long hair wrapped in a shaggy towel. To my surprise she's wearing one of the shirts she purchased for me. I place the food in front of her, earning a unusual response. Kate starts crying. It isn't a deep sob, but more of a slight whimper as she says, " Thank you," with tears in her eyes. I simply nod and watch her eat. It was a small gesture, but it must have meant a lot.

She goes to bed immediately after. I can't tell if she's really tired or if she just wants this day to be over with already. "Charon do you think you could sit in my room for a while? " Kate asks. I smile and do as she wishes. Its hard to imagine something I wouldn't do for her. I watch her while she sleeps, protecting and giving her peace of mind.


	5. Chapter 5

"You've got to give it more force." I instruct her. I'm completely uncomfortable, and I would be surprised if she didn't feel the same. My body is positioned over hers, hands holding her arms down. I pray this isn't reminding her of the recent events. Its been almost a month, and she did ask for this. When she first came to me asking if I could teach her some self defense, I wasn't sure what to say. It seemed completely reasonable that her attack had warranted wanting to learn how to protect herself a little better. At the same time, I still worried about her. She had barely spoken about her attack at all, almost as if it never happened. I didn't push her, but I feared she was letting it effect her more than she wanted me to know.

In hindsight, Simms caught wind of what had happened. I guess the on-lookers had been able to piece together the situation and told him. He kicked Jericho out of town and came by to give Kate a personal apology. She had accepted it, but said she didn't want to talk about what happened. The Sheriff understood of course.

We set up to do it again. I try to change my approach each time. A smart attacker won't leave much room for error. I straddle her once again. Kate had promised she didn't care how close or personal this training got, but I can't say I feel the same. "Do you think I can really do this Chare?" She asks. I can feel her confidence slipping. Something in her eyes looks like she's already given up. We've been at it for about an hour and she hasn't made much progress."If you can disarm me, you can disarm anyone." Its not flattery, it's a fact. I have years of training plus height and weight on my side.

Kate sighs and tries again. This time she successfully works her wrists out of my grip, but when she goes to flip me off of her she struggles. "You're too fucking big!" She fumes, slamming her fist against the floor. The whole living room has been cleared for todays training. I sit up and let her sulk for a few minutes. "Maybe we should take a break." Kate says, finally calming down. I nod and walk to the kitchen to get us some water. She needs some time to cool off and get her confidence back.

When I return she's staring right at me, almost into me. She accepts the water bottle and says, "Im sorry Charon." I just stare at her, unsure of what shes sorry for. Her lack of ability? Her frustration? I didn't expect her to be an automatic pro. Luckily she speaks so I don't have to ask, "I…I haven't really thanked you for what you did." Her eyes move to the floor, "I just didn't want…." She trails off and I can't tell, but I think shes crying. "Its okay, I understand." I say, but she stays silent. I wonder if she doesn't want to talk about it after all, but I do.

"I don't even remember most of what happened." After a few minutes she looks back at me. Her eyes are a little red but she smiles. "You were scary." She almost giggles, "You kept screaming at him, telling him you were going to bash his skull in." Now its me that cant look at her. "Oh." I say, a bit embarrassed by my actions. Kate continues to smile, "You really did though. When Simms came by he told me almost every bone in Jericho's face was broken. He didn't even look like himself. Im sure Doc Church loved fixing that." It's the first time she's said his name. I smile, happy to know I hurt that asshole to the point of disfiguring him.

"Im sorry I got so carried away," I say. Kate shakes her head, "No, it was amazing. No one has ever done something like that for me. No one but you. If you hadn't showed up..." She takes a deep breath. "If you hadn't showed up I would have been very upset, more so than I already was. You did good Charon, so thank you for that." Kate says, nervously playing with her hair.

I look at her seriously, "You know I would do the same to anyone that tried to attack you."

"I know, its your job."

She looks through me again. It hurts so bad to hear her say something like that. She believes I did what I did because of the contract. The pain of her words burns inside of me until it turns to anger. "You really think thats why I did that?" I try to mask the fact that my words sound hurt. Kate just looks at me with regret, "Charon I-" I cut her off.

"Yes, some of it was the contract. But don't you think that for a second when I saw-" I consider telling her everything. That when I saw that scumbag raider over her I wanted to hurt him. I wanted him to know what happens to the men that touch her without her permission. I don't forget their faces. I don't forget their names. I make them suffer.

Instead I sigh and say, "I protect you because you deserve to be protected. Im not going to stand by and let someone hurt you. Thats something I want to do."

When I finish speaking she's smiling at me, smiling like nothing has ever made her happier.

"Thats why you busted Ronald Lauren's nose?" She asks and I nod. Her smile grows and she shakes her head as if she's finally understood something. For a moment, I worry I have made my feelings too apparent. I fear she will ask me how I feel about her, and Im not ready to tell her. She doesn't push, she doesn't ask the question, instead she stands up and stretches.

"We should probably practice some more." I comply and we set back up. Within five tries she completes the move and effectively disarms me. Dare I say it even hurt when she flipped me off her. When Kate succeeds she shrieks with excitement. "I did it! I did it!" She exclaims. I don't know what changed in her. Maybe it was the break or talking about what happened, but something worked.

We move everything back to its proper place in the living room. When we finish Kate smiles at me and says, "We should go see Gob and Nova. Its been a while and I could use a drink." I look at her as if she's crazy. "You want to drink again?" I thought she would never want to touch alcohol again in her life. Kate shrugs, "Yeah. I want to go out with you, see our friends. That kind of stuff." She almost looks as if she's blushing. "Who's gonna keep me from falling on my face if you don't come with me?" I feel warm as I look in her eyes and see sincerity. For once I don't care if Im grinning like an idiot.

"Alright," I say, "lets go."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! :) The title is inspired by Rum and Coca Cola by the Andrews Sisters.


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